Christian Horner jokes Lando Norris and McLaren were ‘taking the p**s’ at rivals with Singapore GP pace

Christian Horner humorously addressed Red Bull's struggles at Singapore, joking about Lando Norris's strong pace.

Christian Horner jokes Lando Norris and McLaren were ‘taking the p**s’ at rivals with Singapore GP pace

Christian Horner and Lando Norris with Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Lando Norris led the Singapore GP with a strong pace, pulling away from Max Verstappen. The Dutchman tried everything to compete with the Brit, however, he understood that Red Bull simply lacked pace. Norris increased his lead from 2.6 seconds to five seconds in three laps. However, by the time the world champion pitted on lap 29, he was 24.7 seconds behind the Briton. The Red Bull team Principal Christian Horner expressed his thoughts regarding the 24-year-old’s pace at the event.

Christian Horner commented on his team’s struggles in Singapore, cracking a joke about Max Verstappen‘s pace to catch Lando Norris. Horner described the situation as ‘taking the p**s,’ expressing frustration with the Briton’s pace. This pun reflected Red Bull’s recent difficulties and touched on the recent swearing controversy. The 50-year-old admitted swearing wasn’t suitable for formal settings but used it for the sake of a joke.

Yeah, that was taking a piss…, although I shouldn't say that in any official capacity.
Christian Horner said, as reported by Motorsport
YouTube video

Horner further explained that Norris was simply too fast at that stage, largely due to the advantage from his tyres. Verstappen’s pit stop on lap 29 gave him a slight edge to go further, but it wasn’t enough. Red Bull had to accept that they couldn’t keep up with Norris and had effectively lost the race on pure pace.

FS Video

The Dutchman appeared frustrated after ending the race behind rivals, who had recently overtaken his team for the constructors’ lead. Verstappen warned that Red Bull can’t keep finishing second, as this would ultimately result in losing the championship.

The pace he had in hand on that tyre at that point in time was…at that point, we've conceded the race on pace.
Christian Horner added.
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Martin Brundle and Lando Norris

Red Bull has made progress despite losing to rivals in Singapore

Christian Horner stated that Max Verstappen drove a strong race despite losing to Lando Norris. Recognizing their performance from a few weeks ago, Horner noted that their run at Marina Bay was impressive due to recent improvements.

Christian Horner and Max Verstappen
Christian Horner and Max Verstappen (Via: Imago)

However, he emphasized that there is still much work to be done before the next race in Austin. The Milton Keynes outfit continues to struggle with pace, which will not be sufficient for winning the championship. If their performance remains the same, they risk losing both titles by the end of the season.

I actually think Max drove a very strong race. That was what we had, which when you consider where we were a couple of weeks ago, I think we have made some real progress. But obviously, we've got a lot of work to do before Austin.
Christian Horner stated.

Certainly, McLaren’s 1-3 finish at the Singapore GP provided them with a crucial points advantage over Red Bull. Verstappen’s P2 finish was insufficient to close the gap with their rivals. With a 41-point deficit and six races remaining in the season, Red Bull still has a chance to compete if they implement effective developments to their car going forward.